A fairytale can turn a young patient’s everyday life into an adventure. Aamu Paediatric Cancer Foundation and Otava Publishing Company have collaborated on an audiobook of empowering morning fairytales that was published on International Childhood Cancer Day, 15 February. The fairytales will be used to raise money for childhood cancer research and are available at Suomalainen Kirjakauppa bookstores.

These empowering fairytales bring hope, spark joy, and give children the courage to face the coming day. The stories include familiar characters from Finnish children’s literature, such as Tatu and Patu, Princess Pintsize, Gigglebug, Birdboy and Bluebird.

“Fairytales are a gateway to emotions and profound experiences. Cancer changes a child’s life suddenly and drastically. Fairytales may then play a major role in finding inner resources,” says Laura Paasio, Head of the Aamu Paediatric Cancer Foundation.

There are stories about exciting expeditions into misty forests, nighttime playgrounds and a florist’s shop window, as well as a tale about someone’s first camping trip. The Aamu Foundation takes its name from the Finnish word for morning, so morning always plays some kind of role in the fairytales.

“All children need fairytales. Fairytales are encouraging, comforting and amusing, and they help us to deal with our emotions. Listening to a morning fairytale will benefit both children and adults alike,” says Kaisu-Maria Toiskallio, Publishing Director (Children and Young Readers) at Otava Publishing Company.

The morning fairytales are the result of collaboration between the marketing agency N2, the Aamu Foundation, Otava Publishing Company, the audiobook studio Silencio, and Kirjavälitys.

“Imagination brings comfort”

Renowned children’s authors were delighted to join the charity campaign. The morning fairytales were written by Veera Salmi, Tuula Kallioniemi, Hannele Lampela, Anttu Harlin, Aino Havukainen and Sami Toivonen.

Veera Salmi, the author of Birdboy’s Expedition, says that when it comes to children – and particularly sick children – it’s important to maintain a sense of hope and joy, and to think where and when you can find new adventures.

“As both an author and a former child – and also someone who has occasionally experienced loneliness – I know that imagination brings comfort.You can find adventure on the windowsill, in a yucca plant that becomes a palm tree growing on a deserted island. A small candle flame becomes an evening campfire for everyone to gather around, including you and me,” says Salmi.

There are currently about 3,000 Finnish children receiving treatment or monitoring for cancer, and over 150 new diagnoses of paediatric cancer are made every year. This means that a child falls ill with cancer almost every other day, and their family’s life changes drastically. The Aamu Foundation’s primary mission is to enable the best treatment for children with cancer. The Foundation raises money for research and development in paediatric cancer treatment.

The morning fairytales can be bought in digital format from Suomalainen Kirjakauppa’s online store. All proceeds from the audiobooks will be donated to the Aamu Paediatric Cancer Foundation in full.